In Washington, D.C., Furloughed Federal Employees Left Their Jobs for an Indefinite Length of Time

WASHINGTON—The idling of the federal government moved from the momentous to the mundane on Tuesday.

The Environmental Protection Agency, which sent home more than 90% of its 16,000 workers, emailed employees a short checklist: First, check email and read the bad news. Second, program voice mail and email to say: "I am out of the office for the duration of the government shutdown. I will not be checking messages, but will return your call upon my return to the office." Third, be sure sensitive work documents...